Cleaver (dai doh; tsoi doh)
The blade of the cleaver is rectangular, approximately 3 1/3 inches wide and 8 inches long; its back tapers from a thickness of 1/8 inch to a thinner, sharper, cutting edge; a cylindrically shaped wooden or bamboo handle about 4 inches long is attached at the end along the back. It handles easily, is well balanced, and hold a good edge. . It is used for chopping through bones ( using powerful strokes, as when splitting poultry into halves, quarters, or smaller segments) ; chopping through the shells of lobsters and crabs; mincing all kinds of meats; scaling large whole fish and chopping the bones; pounding foods flat; tenderizing abalone or beef steaks; crushing, peeling, and pounding garlic, ginger, or onion; mashing; slicing vegetables; crushing Chinese condiments, such as black beans and garlic, into a paste; tearing and slicing ingredients, then scooping and transferring them from the chopping block to a pan or storage utensil.

A thin-bladed cleaver is used for light-duty cutting; a heavier one for heavy-duty cutting. The weight of the blade should be permitted to do the work. Because it is often made of carbon steel, it should not be left to dry after washing but dried immediately and put away. Carbon steel is preferable to stainless steel because it takes an edge readily and consequently is sharpened easily however remember that carbon steel can cause reactions in some foods.